MC ARTHUR, OH —
OSHA Inspection: AUSTIN POWDER COMPANY
Referral inspection · Health discipline
At a glance
On , OSHA opened a referral health inspection of AUSTIN POWDER COMPANY in 32000 POWDER PLANT ROAD, MC ARTHUR, OH 45651 (NAICS 325920). OSHA activity number 348304361.
What this inspection record means
OSHA opens inspections for many reasons — routine scheduling under a national or local emphasis program, an employee complaint or referral, or a follow-up after a reported injury. Opening or conducting an inspection is not itself an allegation or a finding that this employer broke any rule; any findings appear as the citations listed below, and citations can be contested, reduced, or withdrawn.
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Where did this inspection happen?
- Establishment
- AUSTIN POWDER COMPANY
- Site address
- 32000 POWDER PLANT ROAD
- City
- MC ARTHUR
- State
- OH
- ZIP
- 45651
- Mailing
- 32000 POWDER PLANT ROAD, MC ARTHUR, OH 45651
What kind of inspection was it?
- Inspection type
- Referral (C)
- Scope
- Partial (B)
- Discipline
- Health
- Advance notice
- No
- Union status
- B
When did the case open and close?
- Opened
- Closing conference
- Last modified
- Data loaded
Establishment context
- NAICS code
- 325920
- Employees
- 250
- Ownership type
- A
Citations
10 citations on file for this inspection.
1910.119 D02 I B
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $11,823 · Current $10,000 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i): Process Safety Information. Information concerning the technology of the process shall include at least the following: 29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i)(B): Process chemistry; a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to compile and maintain process safety information for excess nitric acid storage tank TA-520 process chemistry related to tank contents that include PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) and nitric acid. Process chemistry for storage tank TA-520 includes reaction chemistry, such as, but not limited to PETN decomposition reaction.
Recent events (2)
- — I (O) $10000
- — Z (S) $11823
1910.119 D02 I E
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $11,823 · Current $0 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i): Process Safety Information. Information concerning the technology of the process shall include at least the following: 29 CFR 1910.119(d)(2)(i)(E): An evaluation of the consequences of deviations, including those affecting the safety and health of employees. a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to compile and maintain process safety information for the excess nitric acid storage tank (TA-520) consequences of deviations including temperature deviations, such as consequences for exceeding the temperature alarm set point for the tank.
Recent events (2)
- — I (O) $0
- — Z (S) $11823
1910.119 E03 I
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $11,823 · Current $10,000 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(e)(3): Process hazard analysis. The process hazard analysis shall address: 29 CFR 1910.119(e)(3)(i): The hazards of the process; a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer's process hazard analysis (PHA) did not address the hazards of the process, in that high concentration of PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) and/or DiPEHN (dipentaerythritol hexanitrate) in the excess nitric acid storage tank was not addressed for hazards of accumulation and decomposition reaction for these explosive materials. The employer performed an initial HazOp methodology based PHA finalized in December 2014 and another HazOp methodology based PHA finalized in January 2017 addressing the tank in both PHAs as Node S2. None of the 16 line items in the 2017 PHA S2 Node or the 16 line items in the 2014 PHA S2 Node addressed hazards associated with a high concentration or high levels of explosive material in the tank contents, such as with a "deviation" for high concentration for the explosive materials in the S2 Node that addressed excess nitric acid storage tank TA-520.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $10000
- — Z (S) $11823
1910.119 E03 III
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $16,550 · Current $0 Reduced
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(e)(3): Process hazard analysis. The process hazard analysis shall address: 29 CFR 1910.119(e)(3)(iii): Engineering and administrative controls applicable to the hazards and their interrelationships such as appropriate application of detection methodologies to provide early warning of releases. (Acceptable detection methods might include process monitoring and control instrumentation with alarms, and detection hardware such as hydrocarbon sensors.); a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer's process hazard analysis (PHA) failed to consider a means of safeguarding chilled water flow into tank TA-520, the excess nitric acid storage tank. Chilled water can be used to control temperature by flowing through the vessel "jacket." The employer performed an initial HazOp methodology-based PHA finalized in December 2014 and another HazOp methodology-based PHA finalized in January 2017 addressing the tank in both PHAs as Node S2. None of the 16 line items in the 2017 PHA S2 Node or the 16 line items in the 2014 PHA S2 Node addressed a means of safeguarding chilled water flow into tank TA-520.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $0
- — Z (S) $16550
1910.119 E06
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $16,550 · Current $10,000 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(e)(6): At least every five (5) years after the completion of the initial process hazard analysis, the process hazard analysis shall be updated and revalidated by a team meeting the requirements in paragraph (e)(4) of this section, to assure that the process hazard analysis is consistent with the current process. a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to perform a process hazard analysis (PHA) revalidation and update that covered the excess nitric acid storage tank (TA-520) operations within the five (5) year completion schedule required by this part. The employer performed and finalized the most recent PHA that addressed the tank in January 2017 and has not performed another PHA revalidation that addressed the tank since that time. Due to the lack of an updated and revalidated PHA for TA-520 operations, process hazards such as increased concentration of explosive materials in the tank, safeguards for chilled water supply to the jacket, and changes such as but not limited to elimination of sparger line use in the tank are unaddressed and not considered by the hazard analysis process.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $10000
- — Z (S) $16550
1910.119 F01 I C
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 15, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $16,550 · Current $0 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1): The employer shall develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with the process safety information and shall address at least the following elements. 29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i): Steps for each operating phase: 29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i)(C): Temporary operations; a. On or about May 29, 2025, the employer failed to develop and implement a temporary operations phase operating procedure for the PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) manufacturing operation. For the May 29-30 production campaign, PETN production was run without a temporary operations phase operating procedure when the Acid Recovery process was not available. b. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to develop and implement a temporary operations phase operating procedure for excess nitric acid storage tank (TA-520). The employer failed to develop and implement a temporary operations phase operating procedure for storage tank when the PETN production process and Acid Recovery process were not operating and functioning in normal operations phases for the covered process(es). During normal operations, the PETN process excess nitric acid flows into the tank and the PETN containing material in the tank is processed downstream by Acid Recovery process equipment.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $0
- — Z (S) $16550
1910.119 F01 I F
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $0 · Current $10,000
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1): The employer shall develop and implement written operating procedures that provide clear instructions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process consistent with the process safety information and shall address at least the following elements. 29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i): Steps for each operating phase: 29 CFR 1910.119(f)(1)(i)(F): Normal shutdown; a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement and did not follow the operational steps for the normal shutdown procedure for the excess nitric acid storage tank, TA-520 found in the company document, Acid Tank Farm/Acid Unloading Operating Procedures, LP-PETN-003, PETN Production Acid Tank Farm, revision no. 5 dated March 12, 2018. Section 11 of the document is the normal shutdown and the employer failed to implement the procedure when the tank was not emptied for a prolonged shutdown as required to perform in operational step 11.2.4 of the procedure.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $10000
- — Z (S) $0
1910.119 L01
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 30, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $16,550 · Current $10,835 Reduced
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(l): Management of change. 29 CFR 1910.119(l)(1): The employer shall establish and implement written procedures to manage changes (except for "replacements in kind") to process chemicals, technology, equipment, and procedures; and, changes to facilities that affect a covered process. a. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure for operating the excess nitric acid tank, TA-520, when the normal shutdown procedure for the tank, contained in the company document, Acid Tank Farm/Acid Unloading Operating Procedures, LP-PETN-003, PETN Production Acid Tank Farm, revision no. 5 dated March 12, 2018, was not followed. The company did not perform and implement a management of change procedure for the tank when the tank was not emptied for a prolonged shutdown as required in operational step 11.2.4 of the operating procedure.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $10835
- — Z (S) $16550
1910.119 L02 II
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 15, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $0 · Current $0
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(l): Management of change. 29 CFR 1910.112(l)(2): The procedures shall assure that the following considerations are addressed prior to any change: 29 CFR 1910.119(l)(2)(ii): Impact of change on safety and health; a. On or about May 29, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed the safety and health impacts for running PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) process manufacturing operations when the Acid Recovery process was shut down due to damaged and inoperable equipment. PETN manufacturing operations generate excess nitric acid which contains PETN, an explosive material, are stored in storage tank TA-520 and is processed in Acid Recovery process equipment to decompose the explosive material. The safety and health impacts for the changes were not considered by a management of change, including but not limited to the impact of increasing PETN content in the stored excess nitric acid without the ability to process the material. b. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed the safety and health impacts for operating the excess nitric acid storage tank, TA-520, during a shut down of manufacturing operations without the availability of Acid Recovery process due to shutdown from damaged and inoperable equipment. Storage tank TA-520 contents include PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), an explosive material that is subject to potential decomposition hazards that were not considered by a management of change procedure. c. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed the safety and health impacts for tank TA-520 temperature monitoring interruption due to control room access disruption in the PETN building from maintenance activities. Storage tank TA-520 contents include nitric acid which can thermally decompose to generate toxic/corrosive vapor and PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate), an explosive material that is subject to potential decomposition hazards that were not considered by a management of change procedure.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $0
- — Z (S) $0
1910.119 L02 III
- Issued
- Nov 25, 2025
- Abate by
- Jan 15, 2026
- Penalty
- Initial $0 · Current $0
1860
General-duty citation text
29 CFR 1910.119(l): Management of change. 29 CFR 1910.119(l)(2): The procedures shall assure that the following considerations are addressed prior to any change: 29 CFR 1910.119(l)(2)(iii): Modifications to operating procedures; a. On or about May 29, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed modifications to operating procedures for PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) manufacturing operations when critical process equipment, the Acid Recovery column, was damaged and inoperable. During normal operations for PETN manufacturing, the Acid Recovery process is used to process materials generated from the manufacturing process, such as but not limited to excess nitric acid which contains PETN. The employer failed to address operating procedure modifications in a management of change procedure to address developing and implementing operating procedures for temporary operations phase PETN manufacturing. b. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed modifications to operating procedures for operating the excess nitric acid storage tank, TA-520, when the tank contents were not emptied and the Acid Recovery process was shut down due to damaged and inoperable equipment. During normal operations of the excess nitric acid storage tank, Acid Recovery process equipment is used to process storage tank TA-520 contents and remove PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) through thermal decomposition. The employer failed to address operating procedure modifications in a management of change procedure to address developing and implementing operating procedures for temporary operations phase excess nitric acid tank operation. c. On or about June 11, 2025, the employer failed to implement a management of change procedure that addressed modifications to operating procedures for operating the excess nitric acid storage tank, TA-520, when access to the PETN control room was disrupted due to maintenance activities. The employer failed to address operating procedure modifications in a management of change procedure to address developing and implementing operating procedures for temporary operations phase excess nitric acid tank operation that included temperature monitoring of the tank.
Recent events (2)
- — I (S) $0
- — Z (S) $0
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Source
This record is reproduced from the U.S. Department of Labor Open Data API (OSHA inspection dataset). The original IMIS detail view is available at OSHA's Establishment Search for activity number 348304361.
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